According to the most recent survey by Blanchard & Calhoun, about 24 percent of the downtown office space is available - about 188,000 square feet.

The building at 985 Broad St. had a 1994 tax value of $1.443 million, Mr. Minor said.

Although SouthTrust hasn't established a fixed asking price for leasing the space, it would probably be about $11 per square foot, he said. A tenant who could take over the entire space would probably get a discount, he said.